New Zealand'sAluminium Smelter

New Zealand's Aluminium Smelter

New Zealand's Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) is New Zealand's only aluminium smelter and is located on Tiwai Peninsula, across the harbour from Bluff in Southland.

NZAS is 79.36 per cent owned by Pacific Aluminium and 20.64 per cent owned by Japan's Sumitomo Chemical Company. NZAS is a tolling plant, producing primary aluminium in the form of ingot, billet and rolling block. The majority of the plant's alumina is supplied from the Yarwun and Queensland Alumina refineries at Gladstone in Queensland, Australia. Around 90 per cent of the aluminium produced at NZAS is exported.

In the 1960s, Tiwai Point was chosen as the location for an aluminium smelter for a number of reasons. Aluminium smelting requires a large and very reliable power source to continually supply electricity to reduction cells, and Tiwai Point's proximity to the then proposed Manapouri Power Station made it an attractive location. In addition, Tiwai Point was close to the deep sea port of Bluff and the well established infrastructure of the City of Invercargill. The smelter commenced operations in 1971.

NZAS contributes $525 million to the Southland economy (10.5 per cent of Southland's GDP) and $1,600 million in Southland regional sales, with export revenue of around $1 billion each year. Approximately 900 full time equivalent employees and contractors work at the smelter.

Uses electricity equivalent to

households

Spends around

in New Zealand every year

Generates more than

in export earnings annually

Pacific Aluminium (New Zealand) Limited (PacAl NZ) has reported its financial results relating to its interest in New Zealand's Aluminium Smelter (NZAS), showing underlying earnings of NZ$75 million for 2017, an increase of NZ$50 million on the previous year.
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New Zealand's Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) is delighted to welcome Stewart (Stew) Hamilton back to site in his new role of Chief Executive and site General Manager. Stew will begin in the role on 2 July 2018 and will have a two-week handover with Gretta Stephens in May.
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After four years as the Chief Executive and General Manager of New Zealand's Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) Gretta Stephens has announced her resignation to join BlueScope Steel as Chief Executive New Zealand and Pacific Islands.
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Pacific Aluminium (New Zealand) Limited (PacAl NZ) has reported its financial results relating to its interest in New Zealand’s Aluminium Smelter (NZAS), showing underlying earnings of NZ$25 million for 2016, a decrease of nearly NZ$30 million on the previous year.
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Pacific Aluminium (New Zealand) Limited (PacAl NZ) has reported its interest in New Zealand’s Aluminium Smelter (NZAS), showing underlying earnings of NZ$54 million for 2015, a decrease of NZ$2 million on the previous year.
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Following 25 years helping to save New Zealand's iconic Kākāpō from extinction, New Zealand's Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) has made the difficult decision to step down as major sponsor of the Kākāpō Recovery Programme at the end of 2015
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New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited (NZAS) and Meridian have today entered into a revised contract for 572MW until 2030, allowing the smelter's three potlines to remain fully operational
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New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited (NZAS) and Meridian Energy Limited have agreed today to extend the termination notice date of the smelter's 572MW electricity contract from 1 July 2015 to 3 August 2015
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New Zealand's Aluminium Smelter Limited (NZAS) today announced it will immediately halt $70 million in planned capital expenditure, including $15 million for the remainder of 2012 and for 2013. Capital work that is critical to business operations and health, safety and environment will continue
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New Zealand's Aluminium Smelter Limited (NZAS) has finalised the proposal to streamline its operations to help return the smelter to viability in increasingly difficult economic conditions
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New Zealand's Aluminium Smelter Limited (NZAS) is continuing to streamline its operations to help return the smelter to viability in increasingly difficult economic conditions. The smelter today announced that it will bring forward existing plans to resize.
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